Captain America (Chris Evans) is going to have a new partner, a new villain and – according to reports – a new love interest by the time the Marvel hero reaches theaters in 2014.
That’s because original Captain America starlet Hayley Atwell has confirmed to TimeOut London that she isn’t returning for the sequel because Steve Rogers has been transported to modern time (as seen in The Avengers, and the final moments of Captain America: The First Avenger), and it wouldn’t make much sense to bring her character, Peggy Carter, back into the fold.
The magazine doesn’t get an official quote from the actress. But it’s true: Carter met Rogers during the war, and he tragically couldn’t get to their first official dance because he had to crash the Red Skull’s plane into the ice. Rumors swirled during pre-production that elements from the original Cap would be brought back for the sequel – Atwell included – but the hero now belongs to our time, and forcing characters into that timeline would feel exactly like that – forced.
So, who will be part of Captain America: The Winter Soldier? Evans will be joined by Samuel L. Jackson and Scarlett Johansson as Nick Fury and Black Widow. Cobie Smulders will be playing S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Maria Hill, while Sebastian Stan is reprising his role of Bucky Barnes, who morphs into the Winter Soldier in this chapter. (You’ll remember that Bucky plunged to his death in Cap. Apparently not.)
Newcomers to the sequel though, include Anthony Mackie as The Falcon (Cap’s new partner) and Frank Grillo as Crossbones (Cap’s new nemesis). The sequel will be co-directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, and is racing to meet an April 4, 2014 release date.
